Hey there, guys!
I've been playing guitar consistently for almost a month now. And I haven't posted anything since my greeting post. I've actually been practicing, but I'm having trouble making a plan out for myself, since I cannot afford a teacher right now (I plan on taking up some lessons at my college in the spring of next year, which'll be my final semester there, but until then, I'd like to learn some stuff now!)
Maybe this kind of question gets posted in this section plenty of times, and I apologize for the repetition, but I'd like to know, how do I tell what I'm practicing is what I need to know? My interests lie mainly in rock. I've been learning pretty much chords and am trying to understand scales as I go, but as far as a practice schedule of any sort goes, I'm at a loss for trying to make sense of what I can actually implement when I go to learn songs and what I don't necessarily have to be going over right away. I know that at this beginner stage, just about ANYTHING I learn would be beneficial, but I want to be as efficient as possible with my time and I don't want to be all over the map when I practice.
I feel like whenever I go to learn something like a scale or some music theory, I'll go ahead and learn it the best I can but then get confused about what to do next, or what I should've known BEFORE learning said piece of theory. I guess maybe my problem is trying to balance learning some songs along with learning some theory too. There are great articles here on guitar noise that helps me do that, and I'm always here reading them, but I tend to be a visual, audio learner as well and sometimes the words can get jumbled as I'm trying to play.
Is there any way you guys can suggest for me to become 'un-stuck' and help me out with some tips for better, more efficient practicing methods, so that I won't fuss around so much? Thanks~!
I feel like whenever I go to learn something like a scale or some music theory, I'll go ahead and learn it the best I can but then get confused about what to do next, or what I should've known BEFORE learning said piece of theory. I guess maybe my problem is trying to balance learning some songs along with learning some theory too.
A good lesson will balance the theory aspect with a song to put it into practice. We all tend to pick up bits of theory in a fairly random order, but if you fancy a more structured approach then get "Music Theory for Guitarists" by our very own Noteboat, or "The Right Way To Read Music" by Harry & Michael Baxter (ISBN: 9-780716-020080) for a general approach which covers enough to get you through the GCSE music exam in the UK.
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
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Thanks so much for the book suggestions, I'll scoop them up first chance I get!
So, there's no exact order in which to learn some of the more basic theory? That's reassuring. I feel like I learn something new every day anyway, so it doesn't feel like I'm meandering off too much.
when I began the journey to learning guitar I first had a few lessons. I was lucky. the most fun I had was playing along as best I could with my records. I would figure out the key the song was in and play the three or four open chords I knew. I had a blast.
little did I know by playing along with records I learned things: chord changes, timing, rhythm, listening.
I really had know sophisticated plan on how to learn guitar. scales and theory weren't on my radar, although, my guitar teacher showed me how to read the notes on a page and where the same notes were on my guitar. that kind of helped.
here it is, 45 years later. I still have a blast playing along with my records. the first three open chords I learned are still in use, too.
my other advice is to become musical with the guitar.
Thanks for the advice, dogbite! Sometimes I can be a bit technical minded, but what you're saying about learning all the chords and scales through music is exactly the best way I can describe how I want to learn.
I was self taught. Way too poor to pay for lessons. Saved up and bought a fake book from my favorite band at the time. They didn't really have tab then so I was learning the chords from the shapes on the pages. Mostly open voicings. Not the way the band played it but the right chords and I learned them because I was young and full of ambition. I built on it, needing to learn a new chord or two for each new song until I had alot of them mastered. Building blocks. I played with the records as well. It was fun. Still is. Fun is what keeps you going.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Is there any way you guys can suggest for me to become 'un-stuck' and help me out with some tips for better, more efficient practicing methods, so that I won't fuss around so much? Thanks~!
The BEST advice I EVER got was to "feel the intevals". This means play a chord...then try to imagine how many notes away each extended note in the chord is. You need to know "what a minor" feels like...or a "whatever". IE: hit a plain old A chord...then an A7th. That's probably the easiest to distinguish. I can't tell you HOW much this will improve your capabilities but trust me...learn to recognize intervals.
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
